There is an ongoing need for improved sponge-like and absorbent materials which may be utilized in dental and medical applications. To date, there have been a number of prior art patents in which an absorbent or sponge-like material is attached to a dental or medical implement.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,608,968 entitled "Gum Massaging Device with Internal Dispenser" discloses a gum massaging device within an internal dispenser. This patent discloses a toothbrush assembly having a handle, a brush assembly releasably interconnected with a second end of the handle and a massaging device. The massaging device includes a carrier which houses a container of liquid, positioned in an internal cavity of the carrier. The container is positioned so as to be broken and to dispense its contents when an end of a toothbrush is inserted into the carrier. A porous absorbent material forms an outer surface of the device and absorbs the liquid for application to the gums of the user.
Related U.S. Pat. No. 4,486,109 entitled "Toothbrush Assembly Combining Replaceable Brush Assembly with Massaging Device" also discloses a toothbrush having a porous absorbent material which forms an outer surface of the device and which absorbs a liquid for application to the gums of the user.
Finally, U.S. Pat. No. 4,543,679 entitled "Toothbrush Assembly Combining a Handle With A Replaceable Brush Assembly and a Replaceable Oral Hygiene Device" discloses a toothbrush which includes a removable oral hygiene device. The oral hygiene device can be used to apply a hygienic agent or as a oral stimulator. In a preferred embodiment, the hygienic device comprises compressed cellulose.
There have been a number of materials used to make absorbent pads and sponges for dental and medical applications. Compressed cellulose is an excellent material from which to make an absorbent pad or sponge. Cellulose is highly absorbent and can be compressed using simple compression techniques.
Unfortunately, compressed cellulose, as it comes manufactured and as it is shown, for example, in U.S. Pat. No. 4,543,679, is unacceptable for either dental or medical use, and cannot be approved for use by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (F.D.A.). The undesirable side effects of untreated cellulose include unacceptable levels of organic residue; an unpleasant bitter taste; an ammonia odor which develops after use; the emission of a strong chemical smell; the creation of a burning sensation of the oral mucosa; the presence of trace amounts of a potential carcinogen, ethyl-urethane; the inconsistent ability of adhesives to bond the compressed cellulose to PVC and other materials; and inconsistencies between samples of cellulose resulting from the uncontrolled levels of chemicals. Heretofore, there has been no satisfactory method for cleaning cellulose for approval in medical and dental applications.
It would be desirable to provide a novel method for cleaning and purifying compressed cellulose so that it could be approved for use in dental and medical applications. Such a method could be utilized to enable the compressed cellulose to be used as a medical or dental sponge, absorbent, or applicator. Such a method could further be used to enable the compressed cellulose to be used as a compression bandage to actively apply pressure to a bleeding wound. By adding an access opening to such compressed cellulose bandage through the outer layer of the bandage, the compression bandage could be used as a transdermal patch enabling liquids or liquid/dry combinations to be systematically delivered to a wound or to the surface of the skin.
The present invention fulfills the desires and objectives set forth above, and the advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the following summary and detailed description which follow.